Mark Kermode's DVD round-up + Dr Seuss | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/film/series/mark-kermode-dvd-round-up+books/dr-seuss
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Mark Kermode's DVD round-uphttp://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/nov/18/mark-kermode-dvd-round-up
The Amazing Spider-Man; Arthur Christmas; The Lorax; The Penguin King<p>With Sam Raimi's <em>Spider-Man</em> outings still fresh in the mind (his troubled third instalment was as recent as 2007), one might expect a hot-on-the-heels series reboot to bring something audaciously new and revolutionary to the table, in the manner of Chris Nolan's game-changing <em>The Dark Knight</em>. Remarkable, then, that <strong><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/140156/spider-man-reboot">The Amazing Spider-Man</a></strong> (2012, Sony, 12) adheres so closely to the template that Raimi established only a decade ago, albeit in a shinier and occasionally more self-consciously &quot;smart&quot; fashion. While <em>(500) Days of Summer</em> director Marc Webb talked of a more down-to-earth view of the parentless Peter Parker's struggles with angst and adolescence, there's little in this enjoyable romp that hasn't been touched upon in previous instalments – for all their kinetic frenzy, Raimi's films never lost sight of Peter's very personal problems. What you get is a well told origins tale that draws on the deep well-spring of the Gwen Stacy story (Parker's first infatuation whose fate sparked ongoing comic-book controversy) and pits Spidey against the Lizard, the reptilian nemesis for whom Raimi himself once had plans.</p><p>Boasting solid effects work (the previous problems of blending spectacle with heft seem solved) and handsome production design, this is a good-looking super-/anti-hero romp that cracks along at a fair old pace without descending into stagey set-pieces. The real fireworks, however, come from the cast, with Andrew Garfield proving an altogether more sympathetic loner than Tobey Maguire, Emma Stone providing a quick-witted foil as Gwen, and Rhys Ifans keeping the scenery-chewing just this side of camp as the slimy and increasingly scaly Dr Curt Connors. Meanwhile Martin Sheen is the dictionary definition of &quot;avuncular&quot;, lending gravitas to the influential shadow he casts over young Peter. It all adds up to an enjoyable if ultimately unsurprising adventure that puts the series back on track after the chaotic disappointments of <em>Spider-Man 3</em>. Yet compare this to the high-water mark of <em>Spider-Man 2</em>, and there's nothing to match the strangely subversive wonder of Dr Octopus's mechanical body-modifications, which reminded us of Raimi's own roots in the fleshy horrors of <em>The Evil Dead</em> and made the series so much more than just a cartoon cut-out. Extensive extras include commentary, docs and Lizard-heavy deleted scenes.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/nov/18/mark-kermode-dvd-round-up">Continue reading...</a>Andrew GarfieldAardmanDr SeussAnimationFamilyDVD and video reviewsFilmCultureSun, 18 Nov 2012 00:05:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/nov/18/mark-kermode-dvd-round-upAllstar/COLUMBIA PICTURES/Sportsphoto Ltd./AllstarAndrew Garfield stars in The Amazing Spider-Man: 'enjoyable if ultimately unsurprising'. Photograph: Allstar/COLUMBIA PICTURES/Sportsphoto Ltd./AllstarAllstar/COLUMBIA PICTURES/Sportsphoto Ltd./AllstarAndrew Garfield stars in The Amazing Spider-Man: 'enjoyable if ultimately unsurprising'. Photograph: Allstar/COLUMBIA PICTURES/Sportsphoto Ltd./AllstarMark Kermode2012-11-18T00:05:00Z